CONTROVERSIAL plans to build student housing on part of the St Clement’s car park are to be considered again.

The scheme for 140 rooms was thrown out last week by members of Oxford City Council ’s west area planning committee.

But other councillors backed moves to ‘call in’ the decision – which will now be reconsidered by the planning review committee next week.

Last night campaigners hit out at the move and said they feared the plans would get through this time.

Others labelled the calling-in process – where decisions can be looked at again if enough councillors call for them to be reviewed – undemocratic.

The proposals by developer Watkin Jones to redevelop part of the car park have sparked years of controversy, with traders in the area worried about the loss of car parking spaces both during and after construction work.

The plans were refused last week – after six committee votes – on the grounds the loss of parking spaces and location of an alternative temporary car park off Marston Road were unacceptable.

Now 13 Labour councillors – including council leader Bob Price – have referred the case to the nine-member planning review committee, which four of the councillors involved in the call-in sit on.

This means that just one more vote could tip the balance, and opponents fear approval now looks likely.

Alan Grosvenor, who closed his A-Spires Audiovisual business in St Clement’s last week, said he was concerned about the fairness of the call-in. He said: “Some of the councillors who supported the call-in are going to sit on that committee, and if they supported it, then surely they already have a view on it.

“It seems totally un-democratic, nothing more than a kangaroo court.”

Green councillor Craig Simmons said: “It is outrageous that these councillors are ignoring the democratic decision made by the west area planning committee.

“They are ignoring the wishes of local residents and local councillors from all parties and seem determined to destroy those independent traders that make this part of East Oxford so unique.”

The Oxford Mail contacted or attempted to contact all nine members of the planning review committee, but none of the three who spoke to the Mail would say how they planned to vote.

Committee member Laurence Baxter said: “It seemed to me with all the interest in this and with the reasons for refusal, that it deserved another hearing.

“I haven’t made up my mind. Just because we have called it in does not mean we have decided either way.”

Lord Mayor and Lib Dem councillor Alan Armitage said: “My mind is open.”

Green councillor Dick Wolff refused to say how he would vote, but said: “The concerns that I have are the same as I have had from the start about the economic impact.”

The other members were unavailable for comment.

The planning review committee meets at 6pm on Wednesday at the Town Hall in St Aldate’s.